‘Zero’ producers have altered a few scenes and one particular poster from the film after members of the Sikh community objected to a scene in which Shahrukh Khan’s (SRK) character is seen wearing a dagger.
In response to the petition filed in the Bombay High Court earlier in November, production house Red Chillies Entertainment filed an affidavit proclaiming that certain scenes and one particular poster have been digitally altered, reported ANI.
Issuing a statement, the film’s makers clarified that although the alterations have been made to avoid hurting the religious sentiments of the Sikhs, they never showed SRK holding a kirpan which is a Sikh article of faith.
They contended that the object the character is holding is instead an “ornamental dagger”.
The petition which was filed by Advocate Amritpal Singh Khalsa stated that the "Display of the kirpan in such a way is blasphemous and the scenes should be removed immediately."
He further sought a direction to the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) not to grant certification to the movie or to revoke it if it has already been given.
Meanwhile, a similar complaint was also made with the Delhi police by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee’s (DSGMC) General Secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa also in the month of November.
In a strongly worded Facebook post, Mr Sirsa had written that in case the film’s makers failed to delete the scenes, the Sikh community will stage protests at theatres to stop the film’s screening.
The complaint was met with an immediate response from the film’s spokesperson, which was acknowledged and retweeted by Mr Sirsa.
The SRK starrer helmed by director Anand L. Rai which is slated to hit the theatres tomorrow will also see Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif in the lead roles. The film also features multiple cameos by famous Bollywood stars including Salman Khan.
‘Zero’ is not the only film which has landed in trouble with the Sikh community.
Recently, director Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Manmarziyan’ too had faced flak for showing the Sikh characters played by Abhishek Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu smoking in the film.
